The Uptown upstart vibes with a hip-hop veteran on this joint LP. An industry veteran with a keen ear for hip-hop talent, Statik Selektah appears to have taken a mentorship role in the career of Lord Sko in recent years. Though the DJ/producer boasts placements on the young Washington Heights rapper’s projects like PIFF and United Palace, this joint effort, ELEVATOR MUSIC, solidifies their connection as a musical unit. Just from their singles “HANGMAN” and the relatively breezier “HOW IT IS,” it’s apparent how well the two jibe with one another. Their premise proves all but undeniable when they hit that mellow boom-bap sweet spot, with soulful selections like “WISH UPON A STAR” and “WONDER” giving ample space for the casually loquacious MC to do his thing. Their combined reach leads to some momentous collabs as well, with 420-friendly dynamos B-Real and Smoke DZA sparking up on “NORTHERN LIGHTS” and Harlem native Dave East going in on the vibey “BETTER DAYS.”